Prior to coming here, we had asked the staff of the Dogo Onsen Tourist Information Center for a lunch recommendation. The Dogo Onsen Restaurant that they recommended was Kinbei. The restaurant was known for their Tai (red snapper) and best of all, it was a three minute walk away. We backtracked down the Dogo Shoutengai (covered shopping street) and made an eventual left.

The restaurant was conveniently located directly across from the Dogo Onsen Annex. There was a decent amount of foot traffic in and around the courtyard. There was a short line in front of the restaurant, so we put our name down and went to go check out the annex. The courtyard and walls of the annex were wrapped in this beautiful mural depicting flowers and nature. Our name was called a little while later and we went inside.

The exterior of the building featured a good amount of toro (traditional Japanese lanterns) that highlighted what the restaurant was known for. Just above the name of the restaurant it mentions that they serves Setouchi cuisine. Matsuyama city along with the neighboring prefectures of Kagawa, Hiroshima, Okayama, and the northeastern coast of Kyushu make up the Setouchi region. The Seto Inland Sea dominates the region, which is renowned for its delcious seafood and citrus. The interior of the restaurant had a festival vibe with its large amount of toro and beautiful full length wall murals.

Dogo Onsen Restaurant Menu

The menu was pretty extensive and there were a wide range of options to choose from. They had ramen, various meat plates, and sashimi combinations. We decided to try their local Matsuyama grilled udon hot pot and an order of their Tai (red snapper) sashimi.

Dogo Onsen Restaurant Food Review

Our food came out shortly after. The Matsuyama grilled udon hot pot was delicious. With over nine different ingredients there was a nice variety of flavors and textures. The broth had good flavor and the ingredients had absorbed it well. The fish was wonderful. Since coming to Japan, we’ve grown accustomed to Tai (red snapper) and have come to appreciate it. The fish was fresh and had melt in your mouth type qualities.

Final Thoughts

The food here was delicious and the prices were reasonable. The location next to the Dogo Onsen Annex and nearby the Dogo Shoutengai (covered shopping street) was perfect. We would recommend Kinbei if your in the Dogo Onsen area and want to try some delicious local Setouchi Cuisine.

More to Come…

Here is the location of Kinbei.